Our Fitness Blog

High-Octane Liquid Fuel

When it comes to everyday nutrition, individuals are always asking about quick meals and snacks due to their busy schedules and busy lifestyle. Well, look no further; liquid calories can serve as a great snack during the day. And, these liquid calories/smoothies have great crossover. They also serve as great pre-workout and post-workout fuel sources. When it comes to proper nutrition, no matter what our goals, we always want to be sure that we are fueling the body (and not just feeding the body).

There are a couple of main nutrition principles we always want to keep in mind in order to achieve meaningful and sustainable results for a lifetime:

We want to focus on having the right eating frequency and the right nutrient timing each day. What this means is this; we want to fuel the body right away upon awakening and then every 2.5-3.5 hours thereafter all throughout the day. And yes, "right away" means right away; Not 30 minutes after we get up, not 60 minutes after we get up. We must fuel the body (if we want results that is) right away upon awakening.

We want to focus on having the right macronutrient balance at every meal/snack. This is focusing on the proper balance of carbohydrate-protein-fat at every meal and snack. We want to have approximately 40-60% calories from carbohydrate, 15-30% calories from protein, 15-30% calories from fat. (Read 'Why Athletes Need Carbohydrates')

When we follow the principles above, we are going to help assist in stabilizing blood sugar, insulin and serotonin levels. In turn, this will lead to higher and more stable energy levels throughout the day. And in addition, by stabilizing serotonin levels, we can minimize if not diminish food cravings. (It is these food cravings of course that can lead to overeating and binge eating). In regards to the eating frequency and nutrient timing, why is fueling the body right away upon awakening/eating breakfast so important? According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, irregular breakfast consumption was associated with a higher risk of Type II diabetes.

Now, let's put together a great tasting smoothie that will provide the body with high-octane liquid fuel that can be used as a snack, pre-workout fuel or post-workout fuel.